Beware of a man running for public school board in southeast Edmonton’s Ward G, the news release said.

“Tyler Duce and his extremist supporters have an agenda to attack and undermine the human rights of women, trans men, and non-binary people,” said a quote from Melanie Anderson of the Alberta Pro-Choice Coalition.

Meanwhile, an Alberta group that wants schools to divulge to parents all information — including their child’s sexual orientation — said it’s using geographically targeted software to mobilize followers, imploring them to vote for school trustees who support “parent choice.”

“To win we need to inform more parents in Alberta — too many whom remain entirely unaware of what is happening — about the erosion of parental rights in education, which is resulting in the endangerment of children,” said a post on the Parents for Choice in Education blog.

Although recent public school board elections were fought over school closures, discourse about LGBTQ rights, sex education and private school funding is at the forefront this time.

“Social issues don’t stop at the door of the school, or the school board. Students are part of society. And they are caught in all sorts of debates about social issues that make adults very uncomfortable,” said University of Alberta political science Prof. Judy Garber.

In some Edmonton public wards, she sees an effort — although not a co-ordinated one — to challenge socially progressive incumbents.

“I think this is very difficult, especially for social conservatives, who might have liked that idea better that social issues are dealt with in the family. That’s not the reality,” Garber said.

Wedge wards

The divisive questions are leading to social-issues showdowns in some public school wards.

Candidates should be upfront about any political or special interest group connections in party-free municipal elections, she said.

“I think that’s a problem — when people have an agenda but won’t answer questions about it,” she said.

Duce, her opponent, was taken to task last month by Capital Club president Todd Herron, who circulated old Facebook posts in which Duce said he “didn’t choose to be homophobic,” and that “the good thing about gays is that they cant (sic) reproduce.”

These are “dangerous and harmful messages” to come from someone in an authoritative position, Herron said.

Duce, 26, has said the posts were sarcastic and misunderstood. Some he wrote as a teenager.

He is campaigning on a “families first” approach, better academic outcomes and excluding school boards from the provincial carbon tax.

“… Unfortunately most members of our current Edmonton public school board are more interested in dividing parents from their children then they are in providing world class educational outcomes,” he wrote on his website.

“Given the sheer volume of threats of physical and sexual violence which are directed at pro-life activists across this country, ARCC’s hitlist (sic) is reckless and irresponsible,” Duce said in an email.

In July, Duce was pictured door knocking with Yemi Philip, a successful family lawyer, mother of three, church youth leader and Nigerian immigrant who is challenging Ward F incumbent Janz in southwest Edmonton.

Without a major civic issue driving voters to the polls, Janz worries voters galvanized by special interest groups could sway school trustee elections.

His campaign emailed out an “urgent call to action” to supporters earlier this week, questioning Philip’s support for LGBTQ people.

An email sent to Michael Janz supporters on Oct. 3.

In her survey response to the Capital Club, Philip said supporting LGBTQ students is “a very important area that must be handled well” to prevent bullying and abuse. She is also bound to follow the law, she said in two interviews.

Her goal, she said, is to “put a stop” to declining test scores, and push for a change in direction to the province’s approach to education.

“It’s concerning that individuals are trying to sideline my campaign and the election from where the focus should be, which is the best interests of the students,” Philip said.

Similar tussles are also playing out in Ward I, where one of two challengers, Saira Wagner, has criticized incumbent Sherry Adams’ stance on LGBTQ students’ rights. Sajida Asghar is also running in the ward.

• An Edmonton Public Teachers survey asked candidates whether they would protect the privacy of students belonging to a GSA, and gauged their level of support for public funds flowing to private schools

• The Wilberforce Project, an anti-abortion group, held a training session in March for prospective pro-life trustee candidates to help them learn to campaign. The group is not endorsing specific candidates

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